More about Apostrophes

You probably know that you should avoid using apostrophes to signify that you’re writing about more than one person or thing. It’s incorrect, for example, to write “The Johnson’s are on vacation this week.” The correct version is “The Johnsons are on vacation this week.”

But there’s an exception: Plurals of numerals and single letters use apostrophes. Here are some examples:

The 4’s in your reimbursement request look like 9’s.

The computer turned all the x’s in the report into t’s.

I found an envelope stuffed with 10’s and 20’s.

Using apostrophes correctly showcases you as an officer who takes writing seriously. Start today!

I often hear from academy instructors and agency officials who worry about the poorly written reports that come across their desks. What is to be done with a cadet or officer who writes a sentence like this one? Four CDs were recovered from the defendant, which he had conceal those items by stuffing them inside […]